Mailing container



May 23, 1961 G. E. FORCE MAILING CONTAINER Filed Sept. 6, 1957 INVENTORGERALD E. FORC E ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1961 MAILING CONTAINERGerald E. Force, 917' 18th St. NW., Apt. 74, Washington 6, D.'C.

Filed Sept. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 682,513

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-22) The present invention provides an improvedmailing container or mailing tube for transporting or mailing of papersof various types, such as blueprints, calendars, maps or other documentsin normally flat association or in rolled tubular form, wherein thecontainer is charac terized by enhanced rigidity for increasedprotection of the contents of the container against damage by lateralcrushing, and also which are protected by end closures for the containerwhich are integral with the container structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mailing tube-likecontainer which is formed from an integral one-piece blank which issectionalized by suitable parallel scorings defining a plurality of foldlines enabling the container to be formed into a triangularcross-sectional shape which enhances lateral rigidity of the container,all sides of which are reinforced by a plurality of thicknesses of theblank and adjacent to both ends of the container by strengtheningclosures which snugly and bracingly interfit with the sides of thecontainer and are positively interlocked therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved interlockbetween the outside (end) section of the container and an adjacentunderlying side which prevents in a positive manner an accidentalopening of the con tainer with possible accidental release ofthecontents of the container.

A still further object'of the invention is the provision of improvedlocking means for the end closure which hold such closures securely inplace against accidental displacement during handling of the container.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds, and the features of novelty will be defined in particularityin the appended claims.

The invention will be understood more readily by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the improved blank from which the improvedtubular-like container of the present invention is made, the viewindicating the sections delineated by hinge score lines extendingtransversely across the blank, and also indicating locking means for thefirst two sections and for the last" end section, all of whichmeans arein flat and unengaged position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a small portion of the blank ofFig. 1, showing certain of the sections, namely, the first two foldedtogether and secured by their locking means. 7

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the completely folded tubularcontainer, the view showing the locking means on the end section inlocking position.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the tubular container taken onthe line 4-4 of Fig, 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

One of the improved features of the. is the ease in which thedocumentary contents of the tubular container are positioned therein,and the ease with which such contents are released, the said contentsbeing well protected against damage during insertion,

instant invention r. hinge score line 7 until the similar andsymmetrically dis- 1 removal and shipment by virtue of the greatrigidity of the container against lateral and end-wise compression, aswell as the ease in which the container is formed and finally releasedfor opening.

Referring now more particularly tofthe drawings, and first to Fig. 1, itwill be seen that there is provided a generally rectilineally-shapedblank A, divided into approximately equal sections which are numberedconsecutively 1 through 6 by parallel hinge score lines 7, 8, 9, 10 and11 that extend transversely across the blank A.

The blank A has a lead edge 12, and a follower edge 13 and is composedof a suitable material such as a stilt cardboard, or other stifimaterial, which however, can be cut and scored readily. While, aspointed out above, the sections are substantially of the same size,sections 4 and 5 increase somewhat in width, corresponding to thethickness of the cardboard composing the blank to permit overlappingduring folding without buckling as the tubular container is beingformed. Section 6, which is the follower terminal section, may be ofsubstantially less width because of projecting locking tabs 14 whichproject from the follower edge 13 of section 6.

'Section 1 of the blank A is provided with slots 15 ad jacent to bothends of the longitudinal dimension of the section these slots being, inpractice, of equal length and parallel relative to each other. The widthof these slots is determined by the thickness of the material composingthe blank A and by the circumference of the tubular container to beproduced therefrom.

$ections 2 and 3 of the blank have an equilaterial triangle B adjacentto each end, corresponding to the said slots 15 which comprise theequilateral triangles designated at 16 and 16, with two sides 17 and .18cut out and one side 19 remaining attached to the blank, but beingdefined by a hinge score line 20. A locking tab 21 projects from side 17being attached thereto by hinge scoring 22. Also a locking tab 21'projects from side 18 and is connected to its triangle 16' by hingescore line 22. The triangle 16 is connected to companion triangle 16by'score line 23 and as' the triangle B is raised perpendicular tosection 2 of the blank, the triangle 16' is folded along score line 23until it registers with triangle 16 and the locking tabs 21 and 21'enter slots 15 of section 1 as the latter section is folded over alonghinge scoring 7 during formation of the container as indicated by Fig. 2of the drawings. The triangles 16 form end closures C for the completedtubular container which is triangular in cross section.

It has been stated that the terminal section 6 has locking tabs 14extending from the follower edge 13. The locking tabs 14 are oppositelynotched, as designated at 24. These locking tabs 14 are designed toenter and interlock with slots 25 in section 3 of the blank. The slots25 are provided symmetrically in section 3 adjacent to the hinge scoring9. These slots 25 are convex, compelling the locking tabs or tongues 14to conform to the arc of slots 25 on entering the slots, after which thetabs or tongues 14 resume their normal flat surface which holds andlocks them beneath the edges of the arcuate slots 25 preventingaccidental disengagement of the tabs 14 from interlocking engagementwith the slots 25, locking being accomplished by folding the sections insuccession beginning with section 1, which brings arcuate slots (section3) and latching tongues 14, section 6 into registry, and inserting thelatching tongues 14 into the slots 25.

In operation, as has been indicated above, with the blank A lying flaton a selected flat surface and with the hinge score lines'facingupwardly, the triangle members 16 are raised by folding along their basehinge scorings 20, the latching elements 21 and 21 being lifted with thetriangle members 16. Section 1 is folded upwardly along 3 posed slots 15in section I register with the latching elements 21 and 21 and thelatter are entered into the slots 15 and are secured in placeby bendingthem over the sides ofcthe slots (Fig. 2), thereby securing thetriangles.

16 and 16* in upright positionto form end closures for.thecompletedtu-bular container; The'document or other items to beshipped in the tubular container vthen are laid on the open blankbetween the raised triangles idand 16', and the .containeris completedby rolling or folding the successive sections on one another as isindicated by Figs. 3 and 4 until the terminal section 6 overlies section3 of the blank and the tabs 14 register with slots 25. These slots 25 insection- 3 of the blank are convexedly arcuate and so force the tabs 14to conform to the arcuate contour of the slots until they are passedthrough the slots whereupon the inherent resiliency of the materialcomposing the tabs causes the latter to flatten as soon as they havepassed through the arcuate slots 25 to secure the terminal section 6 inposition against accidental displacement. The contents of the triangularcontainer are completely housed therein and the container is bracedlaterally both by the reinforcement of superposed layers of material(Fig. 4), but also by the equilateral triangular end closures 16 and 16which close snugly the ends of the tubular housing and are held by theinterlocking elements 21 and 21' and the slots 15 of section 1. Theinterlock between the locking tongues 14 on terminal section 6 and slots25 on section 3, while preventing accidental displacement of the section6 and hence preventing accidental unwrapping of the tubular container,nevertheless may be broken manually to enable unwrapping of thecontainer and consequent access to the contents thereof.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the presentinvention provides an improved rigidly reinforced container fortransporting without'darnage to contents thereof such as documents,maps, blueprints, calendars and the like,-the container beingcharacterized by closed ends Which-protect the contents of the containerfrom edgewise damage, as Well as enclosing the said contents, thetriangular tubular container being characterized for ther by rigidlateral reinforcement provided by a plurality of overlying layers ofrigid material of which the tubular container is composed. As isapparent from the drawings, the container. when in its open condition issubstantially-a fiat, rectangular piece of stiif cardboard, plastic, orother suitable material, designed and die-cut in such manner as when thecontainer is formed from the flat, .one-piece blank, the blank becomes atriangular shaped container of convenience and durability. An advantageof the present invention not to be found in the conventional mailingtube is the quick easy and safe manner in which the contents becomeenfolded in the box-like container as it is being constructed. Theremoval of thecontents from the improved tubular container is eifectedeasily and quickly. The improved container eliminates the tendencytoward damaging the contents common to the inserting and removing thecontents from mailing tubes.

As will be seen from the drawing and understood from theforegoingdescription, the rectangular blank is divided into six undetachedsections all of nearly identical dimensions. The first section containsthe slots 15 at both ends of the longitudinal dimension, of equal lengthand centrally positioned between the transverse width of the section.The width of these slots 25 is determined by the thickness of thematerial used in the making of the container.

The second section of the blank has the two equal equilateral triangles16 and 16 cut therefrom,.the two triangles having two sides cut out andone attached. This attached side 19 runs transversely along a lineparallel to the respective'slots in section 1. When such triangles 16and 16, areinv aregistering position, the projections 21and21 fromtheisides. of the triangles facing 4 the slots engages them, and byoppositely pressingthese projections'fiatly against the first section,locks the two sections together. The same procedure is effected at bothends.

After this locking is accomplished, the contents of the container arelaid on the floor of the second section and the two joined sections are'rolled'over into the third, the third is rolled onto the fourthsection, and so on until the six sections together constitute threesides of a triangular container.

Complemental male and femalefastening devices provided respectively onsections 6 and 3 hold and lock the parts together in the triangularformas shown.

The triangular .endclosure-rnembers-IG are set in from the oppositeedges of the blank a distance equal to that of the slots 15 with whicheach attached base 19 along score line 20 corresponds, so that when thetriangular members are folded upwardly along the base fold score lines,the resulting projecting;flanges 26 of the tubular container wallsdefine protecting means for preventingimpacts againstthe endclosuremembers 16 which might.

tend to. cause damagethereto and to the contents of the tubularcontainer.

What is claimed is:

1. A mailing container. formed from a blank comprising an elongate tubehaving interior and exterior Wall portions providing at least a partialtwo-ply construction and adapted to be held in its tubular condition, aninterior wall portion having a slot at each end thereof andextendingtransversely 0f the length of the tube, closure members at eachend of the. tube and of substantially the same shape and size as thetube cross-section, said members being connected along a portion oftheir peripheries to a wall portion of the tube and a projecting tab oneach closure member disposed through one of said slots in the interiorwall portion and vfolded down and secured be-.

tween an interior wall ,portionand an exterior wall por-' tion, saidclosure members being struck from'an interior wall portion. a

2. A mailing container according-to claiml wherein" each closure memberis folded in. double :tovprovide a double ply, and at least the'outerply of each'double ply closure member hasa projecting tab;

3. A blank for forming a mailing containerrcompris' inga rectangularsheet ofv material havinga plurality of score lines defining a pluralityof panels of substantially equal width, closure" forming .membersformed'of por tions of a panel-qdefined'nearione:sideof saidblankbyscore lines and each attached to a panelalonga fold line,

each closure forming member beingof substantially the same sizeand.shape, lockinggtabs projecting fromeach closure forming member, and aslot immediately adjacent the panel in which thefold'lineof each closureforming.-

member is formed andEinalignrnent therewith to accom modate the tabs onsaidzclosure forming members-,tthere being at least three panels inaddition to thexpanel in whichthe slot is disposed and the panelfromwhich the closure forming members are formed.

4. A blankaaccording. to claim 3 wherein each closure forming member isformed of-portions of two adjacent panels and has two sections :ofsubstantially the same size and shape joined along a fold-line.

References Cited in the file of this, patent

